Blood sugar is the level of glucose, or sugar, circulating in your bloodstream.  You get this from the foods you eat, not just sugary foods like cake and candy, but also from healthy sources such as starchy vegetables, whole grains, and fruit when they break down during digestion.

We need glucose to fuel our bodies and brains.  Blood sugar balance is maintaining a steady and healthy level of glucose in the blood.  And this is one of the foundational keys I work on with every client. 

Why should you balance your blood sugar?

Glucose is used by the body as energy, and therefore serves an important purpose.  However, if we eat too much of any of these foods, or get glucose from low quality sources, it causes spikes in blood sugar that lead to:

• Sugar cravings

• Symptoms of hypoglycemia such as shakiness, weakness, fatigue, confusion, irritability or being “hangry”

• Increased risk of developing insulin resistance related diseases such as diabetes, PCOS, heart disease, fatty liver and even Alzheimers

So how do we avoid these dangerous blood sugar spikes? 

• Eat protein with every meal such as meat, poultry, or fish.  Or a vegetarian protein such as beans, lentils or unprocessed soy foods, like tempeh, sprouted tofu or edamame

• Make half your plate non-starchy vegetables like greens, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and celery.  These are a rich source of fiber.  Like protein, fiber slows down the rate glucose is released into your blood stream

• Nutritious fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, dairy and coconut are not only healthy sources of fuel, but also balance carbohydrate intake

• People are often surprised to find I recommend eating fruit with every meal because of its sugar content.  However, it’s the healthiest form of sugar we can eat, and eating it with a meal provides balance and reduces the rate at which it is absorbed.  Eating fruit also reduces sugar cravings by providing the body with the fuel it needs.

• And finally, for what many find to be the most confusing nutrient in blood sugar balance, carbohydrates, also called starches.  Limit  starches to ½ cup serving and focus on high quality, nutrient dense sources like starchy vegetables and whole grains.  Avoid refined, or “simple” carbs made with white flour like white bread and pasta.

By including all of these elements in each meal, and choosing high quality, nutrient dense sources of complex carbohydrates, you can balance blood sugar and avoid the health risks of insulin resistance. For healthy meal ideas that balance your blood sugar, check out my Instagram page.